Study Links Agent Orange to Birth Defects in Children of War Veterans

The children of soldiers exposed to the herbicide Agent Orange during
the Vietnam War may be at greater risk of having a serious birth defect
called spina bifida, an expert panel has found.

The finding by a committee of the Institute of Medicine is the first
time a large, independent review has suggested a link between Agent Orange
exposure and birth defects in the veterans' offspring, the panel chairman
said Thursday.

"The newest studies give us hope that researchers are getting closer to
answering the lingering questions about the health effects of herbicide
exposure," said the chairman, Dr. David Tollerud, a specialist on
environmental medicine at the University of Pittsburgh.

While there long have been suspicions that Agent Orange may have had
reproductive effects, previous major reviews - including an Institute of
Medicine study two years ago - have found the evidence to be
inadequate.

The new report, citing a new analysis of data from a large population
study of Vietnam vets called the Ranch Hand study, says there is "limited
or suggestive evidence" of a link between spina bifida and Agent Orange.
Spina bifida is a malformation of the spine and spinal cord that can cause
neurological problems.

"It's the first time that children have come into play here," said
William W. Lewis, executive director of the New Jersey state Agent Orange
Commission. "That's been a major concern of veterans over the years." He
called the new finding a "bombshell" for the Department of Veterans
Affairs.

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jesse Brown said he was "deeply concerned"
about the report. He ordered his agency to review the issue and present
recommendations for further study within 90 days. A department spokeswoman
said the review likely would discuss whether compensation is appropriate
for affected vets and their children.

U.S. forces sprayed some 11.2 million gallons of Agent Orange over
Vietnam, beginning in 1962. Thousands of U.S. personnel were exposed to
varying doses of the defoliant.

Under a law passed in 1991, the Institute of Medicine - an arm of the
congressionally chartered National Academy of Sciences - conducts a review
every two years of the scientific literature on Agent Orange's health
effects. The study panels put diseases into categories, ranging from those
with "sufficient" evidence of a link to Agent Orange to those with no solid
evidence of association.